Belt buckle



April .J. CROC KER, JR 2,078,651

BELTYBUCKLE Filed June 20, 1936 r I v In van for Jamewulcroalzer Jr:

Patented Ag. 27, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE Application June 20,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved buckle for belts and seeks, among other objects, to provide a buckle which combines extreme simplicity of construction with the companion advantage of ease of manufacture.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a buckle which is durable and longlasting.

The invention has, as a further object, to pro vide a buckle which is easy to adjust and which, when closed, will hold the belt securely and without slipping.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a buckle which will not fly open when subject to pressure and strain.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a buckle which will be comfortable to wear when used with a conventional body-encircling belt.

20 Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

On the drawing Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of the buckle taken on the line II of Figure 3, as the buckle would appear when attached to a conventional belt, which is also shown in section.

Figure 2 is an elevational perspective of the buckle as it appears when open, and not connected to a belt.

Figure 3 is an end view out the buckle, closed, as it appears when looked at from the bail end, part of the front plate member being broken to show the detail of the hinge and pin which connect and allow relative movement between the front and rear plates.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the buckle as it appears when closed, taken on the line Il of Figure 3.

As shown on the drawing The numeral I is used to designate the front plate of the buckle. This plate is preferably straight and uncurved. At the sides this plate is bent, forming flanges lc perpendicular to the face of said front plate member, these flanges serving to guide and retain the edges of a belt when the belt is passed through the buckle.

The numeral le is used to designate further 5 flanges extending from the side flanges lc, perpendicular to said flanges lo and parallel to the main portion of plate I. These flanges, one extending from each side of the buckle at that end opposite the bail end of plate 2, serve to guide and retain the belt at the point rearward from 1936, Serial No. 86,231

the hinged plate member 2. They further serve todefine and limit the relative hinged movements of plates l and 2.

Formed at that end of the plate I rearward from the bail 2c are back-turned hinge-forming sections lb. They are so formed and positioned as to allow the pin 3 to pass through them, as it also does through the flange Ic of plate I and flange 2b of plate 2, allowing spaced hinged relative movement between said plates l and 2.

Formed at that end of the plate l nearest the bail 2c is a back-turned flange H, which lies approximately in the same plane as the hinge flanges lb. At its middle section this flange carries the stud la, which in closed position contacts plate 2, and which fits into and engages the holes 4a in belt 4.

Out-turned slightly protruding lip sections Id are formed on the side flanges lc. These serve to pass beyond and be frictionally retained by the in-cut sections 2a of plate 2 when the buckle is in normally closed position, holding the buckle closed, yet subject to being opened by slight outward movement of plate I.

The rear plate member is indicated by the numeral 2. At one end it bears a bail which is designed to carry the fixed end of a conventional belt. This rear plate member is preferably curved to conform to natural body contours.

At that end opposite the bail section 20, backturned flanges 2b are formed, opposite one another at the edges of plate 2. These flanges have holes bored therethrough to allow pin 3 to pass through them forming a hinge which will allow spaced inter-related hinge-like movement of plates l and 2.

As shown on the drawing, the flanges 2b are formed at an acute angle as regards the length and main portion of plate 2. Thus formed the backward movement of plate 2 is limited at the hinge to the distance between said plate 2 and the flanges 16. Forward movement of plate 2 is limited by stud la which contacts said plate 2 when the buckle is closed. The parts being thus formed, the outward pressure exerted by the human body against plate 2 and bail 20 will have a constant tendency to keep the buckle closed.

In use the buckle is attached to a conventional belt 4 by the bail 2c. The belt may then be passed around the body, the tongue of said belt being then threaded into the space between plates 1 and 2. Lateral movement of the belt is restrained by flanges lo and 2b. The belt is further retained by flanges la and plate 2.

The stud la is then fitted into the desired hole 4a in the belt. The plates l and 2 are then pressed together, the relative spaced positions of said plates being maintained by the belt-encircled body and the friction between parts Id and 20..

It is obvious that there are many means of hinging plates l and 2, as for instance, by boring holes through flanges I 0, allowing outward protrusions mounted on flanges 2b to extend therethrough, and many others. These are, however, within the scope and design of this invention.

While the invention is illustrated and described in considerable detail it is not desired to confine the same to the exact detail of the structures herein set out other than is necessitated by the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A belt buckle comprising a frontal plate, rearward extending flanges formed lengthwise on said plate perpendicular to said plate, a backturned flange parallel to said plate, an inward extending protrusion on said parallel extending flange, a rear plate hinged to said frontal plate, and a bail on said rear plate.

2. A buckle for use with a belt comprising a frontal plate, and inward-extending protrusion on said frontal plate designed to engage a selected hole in a belt, rearwardly extending flanges perpendicular to said frontal plate, protruding friction lips on said back-turned flanges, a longitudinally curved rear plate hinged to said frontal plate, outward extending flanges on said rear plate substantially perpendicular thereto, said flanges having holes therethrough, a bail on said rear plate and inwardly out notches on said rear plate designed to pass beyond and be frictionally retained behind the friction lips on said frontal plate and a pin extending through said holes of said outward extending flanges and through said back turned flanges of said frontal plate.

3. A buckle comprising a frontal plate member, side flanges extending longitudinally of said frontal plate member and perpendicular thereto, friction producing protrusions on said side flanges, back-turned flanges forming a hinge behind said frontal plate, flanges parallel to the main body of said frontal plate forming a channel, a backturned flange co-planar with said hinge-forming flange, said back-turned flange bearing a rearward extending protrusion, a longitudinally curved rear plate member contacting said protrusion, a bail formed on said rear plate member, outward extending flanges on said rear plate member perpendicular to the main body of said rear .plate member and angularly placed as regards the length of said rear plate member, holes through? said flanges, a pin designed to pass through said holes and hinge-forming flanges of said frontal plate member, forming a hinge, and

in-cut sections in said rear plate member designed to contact and snap beyond the friction producing protrusions on the side flanges of said frontal plate.

4. A buckle for use with a belt comprising a front plate member, said plate member bearing a.

protrusion designed to engage a hole in a belt and a pair of oppositely positioned outwardly extending friction lips, a rear plate member arranged to contact said protrusion as it extends through the hole in said belt for restraining the movement of said belt; outward extending flanges on said rear plate member substantially perpendicular thereto, said flanges hinging said rear plate member to said front plate member, and a bail'on said rear plate, and said rear plate having inwardly cut notches adapted to pass beyond and be frictionally retained behind the fric- 

